M.I.A's father is Tamil Activist, Arul Pragasam (also known as Arular) who was a founding member of EROS (The Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students) and he is also a founder of Institute of Sustainability Development at Trincomalee
When she was only six months old, Mathangi Arulpragasam and her family moved to Sri Lanka (where her parents where from) because M.I.A's father wanted to support the Tamil people's struggle for independents.
Maya Arulpragasam didn't see her father much when she was growing up due to his activities as a political activist (which made him a wanted man with the Sri Lankan military) and when M.I.A did meet her father he was introduced to them as their Uncle, to make sure his young childern wouldn't accidentally give away his whereabouts when they where questioned by the Sri Lankan army.
During the early 80's M.I.A and her family moved to the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Indian, due to the civil war in Sri Lanka At first her family did well, M.I.A and her sister did great in school, but over time they fell on hard times. They saw less of their relatives and the money that was sent to them started to dry up and M.I.A and her family became ill.
because of this they moved back to Sri Lanka (this time in the town of Yazhpanam/Jaffna) but by the late 80's the family had to move again due to the civil war in Sri Lanka.
First they went back to India but ended up settling in London as refugees.
It was in London that a preteen Maya Arulpragasam was introduced to hip-hop, via such artist as KRS-One, Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A and Roxanna Shante.
Maya Arulpragasam later became a student at London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where she studied fine art and film.
M.I.A almost had a career just an artist (actor Jude Law was her Patron) but she took a job to do art for the band Elastica, which ended up with her Maya Arulpragasam going on tour with the band in the states. on that tour M.I.A meet electronica artist Peaches who thought Mathangi Arulpragasam how to use a 505 sequencing machine.
The music bug bit her and when she got back to London, M.I.A bought her own 505 and started making music with it. She made a six track demo tape that included the song Galang
M.I.A's music has elements of hip-hop, electrinica, grim, indian music and sounds form all around the world mixed together in a unique blend that can only be seen as M.I.A style.
M.I.A music also has deep political meanings to go along with her great beats. As M.I.A says she finds it hard to rap about nothing (which sadly a lot of artist do)
though because of her deeply poltical message M.I.A has faced some censorship and has been hassled in a number of ways. MTV wouldn't play her song Sunshowers due to the lyrics and in 2006 she denied a visa to the US for awhile (luckily that is all cleared up and she is currently living in New York)
in 2008 M.I.A started her own record label, N.E.E.T.
and released her own clothing line
M.I.A's older sister is jewellery designer, Kali Arulpragasam. Kail is the founder and creative director of Super Fertile. like her younger sister M.I.A, Kali also used her art to make political messages.
